Mike Beamish

In the following viewpoint, Mike Beamish argues that some parents put too much pressure on their children to succeed in sports, leading to emotional and physical problems as the children reach adolescence. He acknowledges that many parents are able to place sports in the proper perspective, treating athletics as an opportunity for children to have fun and learn. However, Beamish contends, other parents ignore the rules and values sports are supposed to teach because of their own desire to see their children succeed and win. Beamish is a sports columnist for the Vancouver Sun and a guest writer for the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why is Murray Costello glad that soccer enrollments are nearly equal to hockey enrollments, as cited by Beamish?
2. According to Beamish, what...